


Workweek

by startrek22



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-30
Updated: 2020-05-30
Packaged: 2021-03-03 03:49:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,322
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24458488
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/startrek22/pseuds/startrek22
Summary: A logistics gem has a strange couple of shifts at work.
Comments: 3
Kudos: 11





	Workweek

**Author's Note:**

> This takes place at the same time as, and after, “Change Your Mind”, the finale to Steven Universe.

Facet 4FJ-2-EX3 was doing her usual work, transcripting data at her desk. It was another gray day on Homeworld. Still, she felt honored to be here; when she emerged 3,552 orbits ago, she never could have dreamed that she’d be promoted to such a valued position. Now, she did her job thoroughly and passionately, helping to organize the mighty Gem Empire. Still, at times, it was a little tedious; sending communications messages, organizing digital files, the occasional break. Not much else was going to happen, though.  
  
Her co-worker, Y5D-7-BO8, leaned over, not taking her eyes off of her data tablet. “So, EX3... have you heard about... the  rumors ?”

Here it was, again. BO8 was the biggest gossip in the bureau; always keeping track of anything strange or interesting. Of course, that wasn’t much, but there was always the rumors of disappearing Ruby squadrons, workplace accidents, even - Diamonds forbid it - the rare illegal fusion. They could discuss things freely - as long as it couldn’t be seen as treasonous - and it helped to keep their gems from getting dulled by the work.  
  
“What is it now, O8?”

“Weeell..” Her chair swiveled over, her eyes and hands still focused on her work. “Apparently... Pink Diamond is..” Her eyes darted to EX3 for a brief moment. “.. She’s  Alive! ”

That was, at the very least, extremely unlikely. Though she hadn’t been around to hear of it herself, she had caught the details from the occasional memoirs of a senior gem. Millennia earlier, there had been a  fourth diamond - Pink Diamond - who was given her first colony... and was  shattered by a Quartz from that planet. It was a landmark moment in Gem society - all of the older gems knew exactly where they were, and what they were doing, when they heard the news. 

“Not only that,” O8 continued, “But she’s set to make an appearance at a ball in...” She glanced at a chronometer. “2 hours!”  
  
”Really? And, where did you hear about this?”  
  
“Oh, a zircon who works on the floor above heard about it. She says she’s going to be there, and she’ll give me all the details after!”

EX3 rolled her eyes, and kept on typing away, dragging files with her fingertips. “Well, we’ll see about that...”

6 HOURS LATER  
  
  
  
Back from the break. Back into the chair. Pull up the files, and keep on sorting and transcribing.  
  
BO8 looked.. shaken up, when she came back to her desk. There was the occasional murmur amongst the people in the group area - something  big had happened at that ball.  
  
O8 shifted closer to EX3, her voice lower. “... Pink Diamond was  at the ball. Not only that, but she...”

EX3 kept typing.

“She  fused! With an escort! ”

EX3 looked up at the ceiling, swiped a file away, and clapped her hands together. “O8, do you have a single iota of evidence that anything like that is even  remotely possible?”  
  
”The zircon was there!”  
  
”Right, and you’re going to trust a zircon to reveal the absolute truth.”

“She’s a good source!”

“Yes, that’s what you keep saying.”

A diamond,  fusing with her escort? It was more likely for EX3 to suddenly transform into a Lapis Lazuli, and fly out the window, than it was for that to happen.  
  


  
  
8 HOURS LATER  
  
  
  
More work. More transcriptions. More data. Head swimming... at least it would be time for a quick break, soon.  
  
Suddenly, the ground shook a bit. Something was flashing, outside of the window. Jolting up from her work, EX3 squinted, rolling her chair over to it.  
  
By the stars...  
  
Blue Diamond and Yellow Diamond were on top of a bridge... and Yellow was  electrocuting Blue! O8 dashed over to look, and a few other curious Gems watched in shock. What in the world had provoked them?

“Alright, everybody, let’s move back to our desks, and get to work-“ The supervisor froze, as she saw what was going on, far outside. A minuscule figure, barely visible, around the size of a Ruby, was standing in between the two colossal figures. Yellow Diamond dropped to her knees. The two Diamonds talked. Then, they walked away from the now-heavily damaged bridge.  
  
The supervisor went on to the comms, her voice shaking ever so slightly. “All Gems, back to your stations. All Gems, back to your stations...”

Slowly, EX3 wheeled herself back to her tablet. Nervously, she kept working. The Diamonds didn’t just go out in public all the time. And they didn’t fight. This was something historic. 

About half an hour later, O8 sent her a personal message. “LOOK @ THIS!!!!!”, it read. Attached was a link to a live camera, some way south of their office. Discreetly, she opened the view, keeping it in the lower corner of her screen.  
  
A small group of gems were combatting... against two of the Diamonds’ personal transports!?  
  
They kept  fusing , into different combinations, crawling up the transports’ lower section!  
  
And then, they  all fused together !  
  
EX3 looked up, around the office. Everyone seemed to be stuck to their screens - even the supervisor. She glanced back down. The massive fusion had formed a sword, and had cleanly separated the arms from the main section of the transport. Then, it plunged the sword into the chest, and de-fused. As the Transport tipped over, she heard a massive crash from outside, as a cloud of dust roared through the air. The camera feed cut out, as everyone got up to look at the carnage outside.  
  
A handful of minutes passed. Then, the transport shook once more, sliding down the side of the building and kicking up more debris. Some gems swore that they could hear a loud voice, yelling something.  
  
  
  
  
  
Days passed, and the work kept up, with talk of what had happened swirling about. Rumors about new laws being set in place. Then, one day, a special broadcast was sent in from Diamond HQ.  
  
It was the most significant broadcast EX3 had received in her life. First, Pink Diamond appeared on screen. She looked completely different from what EX3 had heard; she was much shorter, and asked that the term ‘he’ was used. He also asked that he be referred to as ‘Steven’.  
  
‘Steven’ explained that, during the events that took place 6 millennia ago, Pink Diamond had falsified her death, taking on the persona of ‘Rose Quartz’ - the same Quartz that had supposedly shattered her. ‘Rose’ remained on the planet for the past 6000 years with the survivors of the rebel group, organizing and storing Gems who had been ‘hurt’ by Imperial attack. These gems were now in the process of being healed, on the planet Steven referred to as ‘Earth’.  
  
Rose, or Pink, had given her life some years before to form a new organism, reminiscent of an Earth inhabitant. This organism was the Steven that stood before them; he had no memories of Pink’s actions, and had been raised on Earth amongst native life forms.  
  
Steven sent out condolences to those affected by the ‘shattering’ of Pink Diamond. He then began to announce new reforms that would be put in place.

First off, Gems of different levels, facets, even different cuts, would be allowed to inter-mingle. Though work would continue, Gems would be allowed more personal break time, including occasional “Holly days” - even having a 48-hour period off each week! Most shockingly, he announced that fusion between two different types of gem would be completely legalized.  
  
In addition, the Gem Empire would cease its’ expansion, as new methods of resource generation were researched and developed. This was the beginning of Era 3 of Gemkind, an era of progress, advancement, and peace.  
  
As the broadcast ended, confusion seemed to turn to excitement. The four diamonds were united once more, and Gems were free to break beyond their roles. Finally, EX3 thought, she would see a little less of her data tablet!  


... And, maybe, she could talk with that Quartz on Floor J-14....


End file.
